The name Ballumay came to England with the ancestors of the Ballumay family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ballumay family lived in Shropshire. The name could also be derived as a nickname meaning my good friend

Early Origins of the Ballumay family

The surname Ballumay was first found in Shropshire, where they had been granted lands by King William, their liege lord, after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Ballumay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ballumay research.Another 219 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1689, 1717, 1717 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Ballumay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ballumay Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Bellamy, Belamy, Bellamie, Belamie, Bellamey, Bellame, Bellasme, Bellamly and many more.

Early Notables of the Ballumay family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy (c.1689-1717), sometimes known as the "Prince of Pirates," an English pirate who operated in the early 18th century. He and his crew captured at least 53 ships under his command making him the wealthiest pirate in recorded history and... Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ballumay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ballumay family to Ireland

Some of the Ballumay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 115 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ballumay family to the New World and Oceana

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Ballumay or a variant listed above: Matthew Bellamy, Schoolmaster, who settled in New Haven in 1638; Edward Bellamy settled in Barbados in 1685. In Newfoundland, Henry Bellamy settled in St. John's in 1819.